Having A Ball For 7 Decades

COMMUNITY SPORTS

Soccer Is A Fountain Of Youth For 96-year-old Referee.

Every Saturday morning and most Tuesday nights from November through February, referee Harry Rodgers is running up and down a soccer field with a bunch of kids.

Rodgers loves what he does. That explains why he has been a soccer referee for 71 years.

Rogers is 95 years old, but can keep up with the kids that swarm around him as they chase down the ball.

``I love to do it. I enjoy the game. It keeps me in shape. I enjoy the kids. As long as the good Lord's willing, I'll keep on doing it. I feel good when I can show the kids something about the game that will help to make them better players.''

Rodgers was born Nov. 8, 1902, in Conshohocken, Penn. In he officiated his first game. He retired from his day job at the Fidelity Bank in 1963. In that year, together with James Walder and several coaches, he helped to form the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association.

In 1995, he moved to Florida and tallied up the number of games he had officiated _ 4,274. That included 1,840 high school games, 850 college games, 1,573 federation games, six Army/Navy games and 11 international games.

``He's a great guy,'' said Al Hodges, the Under-7 Boys' coordinator for the Greater Boca Youth Soccer Association. ``For his age, to be out here and doing this is a miracle in itself. He has a great grasp of the game and he does a great job out here.''

Sam Chioforo, 76, and Rodgers work many games together.

``We worked together in Philadelphia for 20 years,'' Chioforo said. ``We'd been doing college and NCAA games together.''

After Rodgers moved to Boca Raton he gave Chioforo a call. They discovered they lived near each other.

``I can see his back patio from mine,'' Chioforo said.

Rodgers served as commissioner for two Philadelphia-area soccer associations for 50 years, assigning officials to more than 154,000 games. In 1952, and again in 1953, he was sent by the United States Department of State to Germany to teach American soldiers how to play and referee.

He was the vice president of the National Intercollegiate Soccer Officials Association (NISOA) in 1964, president in 1965, and has served as a rules interpreter for NISOA.

He has been honored by the the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, the National Soccer Hall of Fame as well as NISOA and he has written a number of articles for the Soccer Journal.

His love for children and for the game is readily apparent.

``I just love working with these kids,'' Rodgers said. ``I hope to teach them as much as possible about how to play this wonderful game.''

His advice to younger referees is: ``Remember the three F's: be Firm, be Fair, be Fearless. Keep in shape. Keep up with the rules and run, run, run. Always strive for perfection, even though it is unattainable.''

Rodgers doesn't plan on hanging up his spikes anytime soon.

``I hope to continue working these games for many more years,'' he said.